Device for opening and closing chain links



Feb. 26, 1929. 1,703,892

J. A. WENTZ I DEVICE FOR OPENING AND CLOSING CHAIN LINKS Filed July 25, 1926 Wm what/212M12 Patented Feb. 26, 1 929.

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This invention relates to a machine for opening and closingthe terminal links of the cross" chain of conventional automobile skid chains, whereby (i-defective cross chain may be removed from associated parallelside chains and readily replacedbyf a'new' one in a simple ande'x'peditious manner.f l

The primary object ofvthe inventionis'to provide a simplified and improved chain link opening and closing device ofthe type set forth in the U. S. patent granted March 14', 1922, to John. McLachlan, No. 1,409,876, whereby expensive special construction of the frame of the device or machine for providing for holding the links to be opened or closed, and the use'of an' anvil, is rendered unnecessary; a Primarily, the invention aims to provide the tapere'd'blademember of the plunger with afflat upper surface so that saidblade'member acts as an'e flect'ive support for the chairilinks when'ibein closed by the plunger head",- and to provide further for most effective opening ofthechai'n links'whensupported-in position to beentered by the blade member. 7

Other objects will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, and the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed. I

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, V

Figure 1 illustrates in perspectiveone em- I bodiment of the invention Figures 2 and 3 are broken perspective views of the device respectively illustrating the use of the device in disengaging and replacing a terminal link of the cross chain and Figure 4 is a top plan'view, partly broken away, showing a modified form of the plunger which may be used in lieu of the plunger;

shown in Figure 1.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, 5 indicates a support upon which is mounted'a frame 6 which is secured to said support in any suitable manner, as by means of base flanges 7 bolted thereto. The frame 6 is provided at one end portion with a pair of spaced upstanding transverse ribs or posts 8 which are vertically slotted or bifurcated to form a guideway in which slides a plunger 9, the

plunger 9 being retained in the guideway by means of a detachable cover plate 10 connecting the ribs or posts 8 and having its ends seblade .12 directly below and seat upon which may be placed the terminal 7 placement.

cureduponrtlie u l per ends'of said ribs or posts 8 so as to close-t e upper ends of the slotsof the latterwhereby upward displacement of the plunger 9 isprevented:

The plunger'9'comprises'a' head 11 formedby tapering the sides of a portionof' the for wardends of the plunger, and a wedge-shaped v projecting for: 7 wardly beyond the head 11. c r The frame Gyisprovided at one end with a yoke l3iin wh ich a lever 14 lS'lPl'VOlZBd or ful crumed', and the upper endof this lever 14 is connected totheadjacent endof the plungarl) by means of links 15; Any suitable means may be operatively connected"to'the'lower end of lcverl for facilitating its'actuation to reeiprocate the plunger 9; such. as a' treadle or the like as'illustrated in' the'M'eLaehl'an pat"- ent mentioned above; An-ihtegral tail-stock 16 is for'medr-at' the other end of the frainti and braced at'its outer sideby vertical webs17,an' aperture 18 being formedinthetail-stock. for reception'of the ends of blade 12' when it is mite-operated position Q The inner sideofthetail 'stockmay be provided with; a detachable or permanent steel base plate 19 having an aperture similar to and registering with the aperture 18 of the tail-stock and adapted to receive the impacts of the plunger.

It will be noted that the blade portion 12 is tapered at the bottom and side, but has a perfectly fiat upper surface as at 20 to provide a links of a new chain in the operation of re- This construction of the blade portion will also tend to offset any tendency of the terminal link of a defective cross chain from unduly swinging or moving when the blade portion 12 enters the same in removing said defective cross chain from the parallel side chains of the automobile skid chain. By this particularformation of the blade portions 12 a special formation of the frame 6 to provide depression and seat portions for holding the terminal link, is rendered unnecessary, and the necessity for the use of an anvil is avoided.

The plunger 9 may be formed with a projecting lug 21 directly above the head 11 and overlying the inner portion of the blade portion 12 so as to contact with the base plate 19 and limit the movement of the plunger when projected to a position wherein the tersame time guard against shearing of the no minal link is completely closed, and at the links. 7 Further, the head 11 is preferably tapered to a knife edge so that it will slightly bite into the links and prevent its lateral of the head 11, theus'e of tliestop lug 21 is "preferable, although said lug 21'1nay beornitdisplacement from the upper surface 20 of the blade'portion 12 when being'closed. In

View of this preferable knife edge formation ted as illustrated in Figure 4. Otherwise the construction of plunger in Figure 4 is identical with that of theother figures.

\Vhen it is desired. to remove a defective cross chain from its associated side chains, one of the terminating links 22 of said cross chain is placed against the base plate 19 or on the end of the blade member 12 in a manner link whereby the latter may be more readily freed from the parallel side chains.

The open terminal links of a new cross chain are then engaged with the parallel slde chains of the .skid chain, and each terminal link of the new cross chain is closed and fastened in'the following manner:

Asshownin Figure 3 the open terminal link of. the new cross chain 15 disposed to slightly rest upon the upper surface 20 of the blade portion 12, whereupon the plunger 9 is projected for forcing the terminal link against the base plate 19 of the tail-stock and at the same time applying pressure to of the head 11 therewith. In this way the link is effectively closed and secured to the associated side chain withoutthe use-of an anvil.

From the foregoing description it is be lieved that the construction and operation as well as the advantages of the'present. invention will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art;

Minor changes maybe made without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventien as claimed,

What I claim as new is,:-

In a device of thecharacter described, a frame comprising a base havinga guideway and spaced'therefroma tail piecehaving an opening therein, a plunger reciprocating in said 'guideway, and comprising a head portion and a blade portion, the upper surface of said plunger blade being flat and horizontal and its sides and bottom part tapering, the base in the space between the tail piece and the guide portion of the device being'fiat and uninterrupted so'that the link may be placed on'said base during the opening thereof, and the sides of the closing portion of the tail piece being. tapered.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOHN ADAM WENTZ.

the opposite side of 'the' link by engagement 

